TOKYO -- Booming North American demand pushed cumulative sales of hybrid vehicles at Toyota Motor Corp. past the 2 million-unit mark last month as the Japanese automaker marched closer to its goal of selling 1 million gasoline-electric cars per year sometime in the next decade.

As of Aug. 9, Toyota sold 2.017 million hybrids worldwide since the vehicles debuted in 1997.

Toyota reached the 2 million milestone as it targets selling 1 million hybrids a year as early as possible in the 2010s. The company came a little closer to the goal with this year's launch of the popular third-generation Prius. Toyota expects that car alone to sell 600,000 units in its first full year on the market.